Insert Obligatory Epic Title
by Ciscogirl
Summary: Three friends, forged together in the fires of war will...that'd be nice but that isn't this story. Rather, take a Warrior and a Mesmer, force them to work together, and add in a Monk to make sure they kill enemies and not each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** The audience meets a trio of heroes…sort of…in the midst of trying to save a pair of gloves.  
**A/N:** Just some role playing my friends and I partake in whenever we meet up on _Guild Wars_. Meave just happens to be my character and she's so much fun in a group as nearly everyone thinks the Mesmers are snobby. They aren't, they just know they're better then the rest of the world.  
**Warnings:** No true plotline between chapters as this is taken from between missions/quests and the odd heckling session in whatever towns we are in at the time.  
_**Disclaimer:**__ All character professions, cities, and missions are a part of the game _Guild Wars_, taken from the first game known as _Prophecies_. This was only intended for enjoyment, not monetary gain or credit for the game's creation. Trust me; I'm too poor anyway for the game designers to even bother suing. Also, the characters, Lucas and Xiao Meilin have been loaned to me on the pretense that I will not torture them to the point of insanity. They are not mine._

**Beginnings**

"I'm never going to get this out of my gloves." Maeve grumbled, holding the aforementioned articles of clothing between her thumb and index finger. The material was covered in a mixture of a red and black substance. Her boots hadn't fared much better but at least the tar could be cleaned off of them and they could be worn again.

"I'm sure with the gold found you'll be able to buy a new pair Maeve." Xiao Meilin gently consoled from where she stood. Like all monks she had the air of serenity and everlasting mercy firmly stamped into her. _Serenity, patience._ _Serenity. Patience._

A rude snort cut through her desperate mantra. "Poor Miss Priss, can't stand a bit of blood and tar?"

_Dwanyna, Goddess of Mercy, please make note that I am one of your most faithful for putting up with this._ Xiao reminded her sworn goddess, turning to look at the source of the rude sound and comment. Maeve as well whipped her head up from the gloves, her brown eyes glaring at the warrior who leaned against a pillar, smirking at her.

Say the word 'warrior' and Lucas was what came into Xiao's mind every time. He thoroughly enjoyed his line of work which constituted of yelling and charging headlong into the front lines of any enemy army. He was a big man with an even bigger armor of bone, metal, and leather. His helm made him look like a monster as it held an assortment of teeth and horns and whenever he put it on and yelled he often sent nearby children running to their parents. What was most unusual about his helm as opposed to those owned by other warriors was the fact that the helm was actually a Charr skull with a bit of skin hanging down the sides. Maeve had made the mistake of asking him about it one time and even now she refused to hold the helm, much less touch it.

Overall, Lucas was bound to be the warrior people would speak of for generations to come as being brave, foolishly stubborn, and filled with the great follies every hero in every epic should have. At the moment however, like Xiao and Maeve, he was still young and inexperienced to the whole world and had only truly known the atrocities of the world with the day of the Searing. Even now, even with the red sky above them and the ruins still burning, Lucas was prone to smile and then enjoy the odd wench or two, heedless of the chaos in the land.

Glancing away from Lucas, Xiao eyed Maeve who was currently calling the warrior a 'Charr-smelling brute of a man'. These days, the followers of Lyssa were few as festivals and traveling carnivals seemed like only a dream.

Similar to Lucas, there was no mistaking what Maeve was with her ever present mask and lace-hemmed clothes. The girl was the youngest of the trio and by far the most talkative, but only (strangely enough) when she was around both Xiao and Lucas. Otherwise she had a quiet smile on her face and a tilt to her head that gave her the look of 'I'm better then you and if you try and say otherwise I'll just pat you on the head'. It was the common personality quirk of all Mesmers, great or small. There were times when Xiao actually thought Maeve had no idea what kind of attitude she was giving off but then the girl would twirl around and say something that would put everything Xiao thought of her on its head. It was another annoying quirk about the Mesmer folk; they loved being as unpredictable as a drunken Charr.

Xiao was pulled out of her musings on her fellow companions by Lucas' brass voice nearly deafening her. It was the kind of voice that could knock a gargoyle over by its sheer volume alone.

"…did get your well pressed knickers outta some bad situations out there, didn't I?" Lucas commented, grinning wickedly down at Maeve. Predictably, Xiao saw Maeve's mouth open and close several times without anything coming out before the Mesmer gave a furious shout and threw a glove at the man.

"One compliment! I actually give you a compliment for hacking Charr filth to bits and you say that to me?" The animal shaped mask she wore was the only barrier she had to hide the blush she wore but Xiao could see the tips of the Mesmer's ears burning red. "Pervert!" she dropped the other glove and shot up, quickly flouncing off. Lucas however had the last word, a rarity in a contest of wits against the Mesmer.

"Ahh, but you love it secretly. It's the bad boy appeal!"

Xiao quickly changed her prayer as she eyed Lucas disapprovingly.

_Dear Goddess of Mercy, please save me from the plights of this world…__now__. The followers of your fellow peers are slowly driving me to madness. _

A/N: I've got about two or three more oneshots waiting for some editing but until then (or if I even get to it) I'll be posting this as complete.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary:** Just because one is a Mesmer doesn't mean they know everything…go to a Necromancer for that.  
**A/N:** Just some role playing my friends and I partake in whenever we meet up on _Guild Wars_. Enjoy.  
**Warnings: **Has not had a beta touch this, raw. And to be blunt, if you're looking for some massive fanfic centered around three heroes desperate to save a kingdom and blah, blah, blah…go to the Harry Potter section. I'm sure you'll find something over there. Probably. Maybe.  
_**Disclaimer:**__ All character professions, cities, and missions are a part of the game _Guild Wars_, taken from the first game known as _Prophecies_. This was only intended for enjoyment, not monetary gain or credit for the game's creation. Trust me; I'm too poor anyway for the game designers to even bother suing. Also, the characters, Lucas and Xiao Meilin have been loaned to me on the pretense that I will not torture them to the point of insanity. They are not mine._

**Bath Time**

At first they had wondered at the Mesmer's wisdom (or more aptly, her sanity) in going all the way back to Ascalon City. What was the point of it when they were so far entrenched in the north? Despite the dangers there was gold to be had in the forms of Charr hides, armor, ruins filled with lost loot, as well as a near limitless supply of skins just waiting to be shaped into clothing, leather, and other goods.

But Maeve had pestered both Monk and Warrior about the smells of tar until the two had finally agreed to the trip if only to shut her up. The journey itself had further caused dirt, grim, and blood to encrust itself into the hardening tar plastered all over their bodies. Movement had been slowed and only through quick thinking and luck had the group managed to evade hungry animals or desperate bandits.

By the time they had reached the outer ruins surrounding Ascalon City, they had looked like a new breed of monster born from the Charr's tainted magic and predictably the already edgy guards had attacked them on sight. It had taken Xiao's sweet voice (and Lucas' left hook, a mean thing that) to get the guards to let them into the city. Much less convince them that underneath the filth they were in fact human; all that done while dodging spells, arrows and the sharp blade or two. Maeve hadn't helped either Lucas or Xiao as she had reverted to the wily Mesmer told of in stories, slipping past the guards as nimbly as a Riverskale in water, tar-covered or not. For that alone Lucas had been prepared to fling the Mesmer to the nearest Charr but again, Xiao had restrained (if only to later try and convert Maeve from her clearly vice-ridden path).

Things had improved only marginally afterwards when they had finally entered the city proper. They had gathered a following of curious onlookers when they stomped through the streets, scaring animals away as they did so while chasing after Maeve. Lucas had enjoyed that part a bit too much, especially when a Ranger he had once known had been forced to chase after his terrified wolf when the big warrior had snarled at the beast.

"He tried to cheat me in a game of cards." Lucas had answered when Xiao had looked at him curiously.

In the end though, Lucas had gruffly admitted (only to Xiao, and _only_ when he was certain Maeve couldn't hear) that Maeve could occasionally come up with some good ideas. Maeve had led them to one of the only pools of clean water in the city, or rather, in the land itself. And while it wasn't clean enough to drink out of it was clean enough to bathe in. The only downside was that the pool was still in an area of the city where people could walk through.

_Well, it's a downside for Maeve._ Xiao speculated. For supposedly having self-confidence in spades, the Mesmer was down right catatonic about taking off anything more then her outer coat in public. Xiao could only shake her head in pity as she calmly began peeling off her garments, grimacing as Lucas hit a particularly high note in his singing.

The warrior in question was currently waist deep in the water, happily scrubbing away at his prized Charr-skin helm, while belting out at the top of his lungs what had to be one of the crudest songs in the entire kingdom. Xiao couldn't be certain but she was fairly certain that the song had been outlawed in Kyrda. He was singing it loud enough for his gathered fan club on the shores, which was far enough so that Xiao wouldn't smite them but close enough to ogle at the warrior's physical assets.

Already Lucas had accumulated an audience of a dozen or so onlookers, not all of which were female but the warrior wasn't too upset by that. He'd only become upset if the men would try and do more then look from a distance.

"Enjoying yourself priss?" Lucas stopped his singing long enough to shout over his shoulder at the rocks where one could see the still-clothed legs and arms of a flustered Mesmer. Xiao knew she wouldn't dare complain; it had been her idea after all. But it was obvious that she had been hoping their bathing could have been a bit more…private.

The Monk felt a bit of pity but couldn't help but snort at the Mesmer's behavior. _Really, what did you expect? You actually thought Lucas would be quiet when there are so many potential fans? _

It was a well known fact Warriors didn't do well with such things as subtleness or privacy. They generally just liked smashing things into a bloody pulp with either large swords or equally large, blunt objects. And all the while they'd be screaming raging curses and/or battle cries loud enough to chill the marrow in even a minion's bones. It was the nature of the beast really and to try and make a Warrior be anything but loud, proud and entirely too fond of smashing things was impossible. Still, it went against her teachings to let even the ignorant be tortured in such ways. And besides, that one Warrior in the far end of the group was beginning to look more in her own direction then at Lucas. Apparently he was not completely estranged from women but rather more adventurous then most men in finding possible bed-mates.

"Stop teasing her Lucas. There are others for you to play with." Xiao cut in quickly while glaring at the man in question for a moment. After dealing with Lucas she had perfected a stare which fairly oozed disappointment in whoever it was directed to. Unlike Lucas though who had become (mostly) impervious to such tactics, the man staring at her grew pale and nervous enough to look at his booted feet instead of her.

"Ah, I was just trying to poke the Mesmer along. She wanted to be all clean after all. And I know some boys who like clean ladies…right lads?" the last was hollered over to the audience. His reply was an enthusiastic roar of approval followed by whistles, hoots, and howling. Lucas whipped his head back to Xiao; his face dripping wet and hair lumped around his eyes in a nearly adorable manner, nearly, that is. He gave her a rakish wink, his smile turning wicked again while the scar over his eyes crinkled slightly.

"Evidently they're not all for you then." Xiao muttered under her breath before catching the faint groan from the Mesmer's direction.

"Lyssa give me strength." Xiao heard Maeve grumble before lifting up her voice. "Xiao do you have any more soap over there?" Her face peeked around the rocks, the mask still firmly in place despite the faint splash of tar streaked across it.

A sudden commotion from the shore made both women turn to see a male Elementalist giving shrill whistles and hoots, much to the amusement of his friends. Cupping his hands around his mouth he hollered. "I'll get some for you sweetheart! Just let me lather your back for you!"

Maeve's only response was a series of splashes as she tried in vain to back further into the rock. It didn't help much.

"Maeve ignore them, I'll get you some." Xiao said before finally peeling away her top, making a face at how hard her top felt while also feeling slimy at the same time. Tar was almost as bad as undead innards.

"I love a good Monk! Check out the tattoos!"

"Oh sweetie come here and I'll _teach_ you some skills!"

_Pathetic. Can't they ever come up with something different? _Xiao mused as Lucas met her look with one of his own, obviously unimpressed by the attempts as well.

He brightened though, peering at her shoulders and upper torso with admiration, whistling a bit as he did so. "You got all those done Xiao? Deadly looking set."

Bending down to place her top by the rest of her items she shrugged, grinning sheepishly. The swirling green tattoos faintly imitated the shapes of dragons, glowing with dormant power. Glancing at the Warrior she couldn't help but blush slightly under his scrutiny. "What can I say? I needed something to boast me a bit and this works well enough while I'm casting."

It was inevitable then for Lucas' next reply. "Can I lick them?" as it was, Xiao wasn't fazed by it, nor by the way the Warrior was actually looking like he wanted to.

Xiao only spared a look back the crowds laughing at the Warrior's statement before replying. "No. I'm a Monk."

"Not a good excuse. What about Mhlendo?"

She glared at him, his words too close. "He's a Monk too, devoted completely."_ A shame, that._

"Um…Xiao?" Maeve's voice cut in hesitantly and Xiao winced.

"Don't worry Maeve, I'm coming."

"It isn't that…didn't those _hurt_?" Maeve was peeking slightly from her little niche again, her hair in a wet mass around her shoulders while her outer coat had been taken off, leaving an inner coat that had at one point been a silky delicate white thing covered with lace. Now it was just a mass of grit, blood, and tar.

Xiao shrugged. "It did on certain parts."

"Why would anyone get that though? Couldn't you just get some artifact or relic?" the Mesmer quietly murmured, almost to herself.

"Sometimes pain feels good Mesmer!" a Necromancer called out, much to the delight of his friend, the Elementalist who had first offered his services to Maeve. It was clear the Necromancer had some idea of what he talking about, if the scars dotting his face, neck, and legs were any indication.

_Oh dear._ Xiao thought, catching Lucas' eyes and glaring at him as he opened his mouth. 'Don't you dare.' She mouthed and he frowned at her but she merely shook her head until he finally sighed before scrubbing his helm once more, smirking as he looked back at Maeve. The poor thing was actually confused, her mouth twisted into a small frown, her head tilted to one side.

For a minute she was like that before finally gathering up the courage to say what exactly was on her mind. "A good pain? I…I don't understand."

Every single male by the pool tensed while Lucas' eyes looked about ready to pop out of his skull. The beginnings of a truly twisted grin were worming onto his lips and Xiao only hit her forehead with her palm.

"I could teach you little Mesmer. We could even start with the little stuff, like _biting_." The Necromancer snapped quickest out of his stupor, causing his friend to clap him soundly on the back. The other girls giggled shrilly, some of them making sure their chests jiggled enticingly to Lucas. Strangely enough though the Warrior wasn't looking at them but grinning like a Charr with a farmer in his grasp, weak and ready to be torn into bits.

It didn't help that Xiao could see the thoughts going through Maeve's little head as the Mesmer tried to understand. She could literally see her figuring things out and it was almost comical when her eyes began to widen behind the mask until her mouth formed a perfect 'o' in shock.

Then the righteous anger came.

"That's disgusting!" she snarled before ducking back again behind the rocks and it was clear she didn't intend on leaving until the crowds dispersed.

"Oh don't be like that spell-slinger. Just give it a try; you might like it you know." The Necromancer obviously wasn't giving up and with his friend behind him, clearly cheering him on; he probably thought Maeve was playing coy. _All Mesmers were tricky, secretive, playful…_Xiao could see those thoughts stamped into his face as he began walking further, already taking off his gloves.

"I doubt that very much!" Maeve snapped.

The man sneered and Xiao tensed. "Poor widdle Memer! Don't wike having a good twime?" Now he was probably thinking she was being snobbish. And to a point Maeve was in fact snobbish but that was when she was feeling confident, and not cringing behind some rocks. It was clear the girl was getting downright frightened of the thought that there was such a thing as 'good pain'.

"Come here and say that to my face." Maeve suddenly crooned with her voice covered in anger and blood and all-things-not-nice. It was the voice Xiao had come to realize when Maeve was slipping into the Mesmer stereotype. The stereotype that was filled with tricks, power, and illusions that could kill a man while grinning like a fool through it all. But Maeve was too young to accomplish such a thing.

The Necromancer entered the water, slowly making his way to Maeve. "Don't worry about it sweetie, I'll come and make everything all right. I'm sure a Mesmer like you knows some 'tricks'." He said. Xiao glared at him, readying a spell, this was quickly getting out of…

_Oh._

Well that helped.

Xiao blinked, trying to see if her eyes were playing tricks on her. A moment later and the scene was still the same. The others on shore had all stilled, quiet as frightened moa birds and looking just as stupid.

The Monk wanted to point out to Lucas that seeing that shade of blue in a man's skin probably wasn't healthy but from the way things were, Lucas probably already knew this. Grabbing the bar of soup, Xiao entered the water and passed the two, noting that while the Necromancer was struggling wildly, Lucas looked to the entire world as if he were holding a twig. It looked almost bizarre the way his single hand was wrapped around the man's scrawny neck.

"I think you and your friends need to keep those ladies over there company." Lucas said companionably. _Gurgle. Sputter. Gag._

"Oh that's kind of you but I insist." _Sputter._

"Xiao? What's going on?" Maeve asked, her head beginning to peek around the rock.

Xiao hurried and reached her side and turned her away just as she managed to hear Lucas' concerned voice, "…you might want to get that horrible cough checked out by a healer though…"

"Nothing to worry about, now let's see about that tar shall we?"

_There are some things in life that need not be viewed._ Xiao thought before helping Maeve clean her face and neck, keeping the girl's face turned to face the rock walls.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary:** Mesmers fight with spells, not snowballs. Mesmers also make it a general point to steer clear of the battles that rage between the other gods; nothing good ever comes from it.  
**A/N:** Yes, I like writing about Maeve. She's a character with so many faults, lots of potential and not enough smarts to use said potential. Xiao just cracks me up and Lucas...well...every party needs a tank who's skull is thicker then a Stone Fury's bottom. I know this is a bit late as well; Wintersday ended January 12, but I was sitting on this chapter and trying to make it work. And while I don't think this is my best, it's certainly better then it once was. So enjoy and thank you to everyone who has deemed this worthy enough of their time and even their reviews.  
**Warnings: **Repeat of previous chapters…has not seen a beta.  
_**Disclaimer:**__ All character professions, cities, and missions are a part of the game _Guild Wars_, taken from the first game known as _Prophecies_. This was only intended for enjoyment, not monetary gain or credit for the game's creation. Trust me; I'm too poor anyway for the game designers to even bother suing. Also, the characters, Lucas and Xiao Meilin have been loaned to me on the pretense that I will not torture them to the point of insanity. They are not mine._

**Wintersday**

What she wouldn't give for a pair of yak fur lined gloves, or a coat with yak fur in two layers. She wouldn't even care if those same articles of clothing didn't have a single rune stitched into them. Just as long as they were warm.

"Come on Maeve! You don't want them to win do you?"

Maeve's only answer was to glare at the entirely too cheerful Monk. It made her even colder just looking at Xiao's clothing which consisted of nothing more then her pants, sandals, and sleeveless vest. "I could care less." She spat before narrowing her eyes. "And why are you on Grenth's side?"

"Dwayna felt sorry and lent him my aid for the duration of this Wintersday." Xiao easily replied even as she scooped up a handful of ice and snow and lobed it at another of Dwayna's side; a Paragon. The poor fool was hit so hard he fell backwards into the snow, laughing as he did so. "Come on Maeve this is a holiday! Aren't Mesmers all about holidays?"

Maeve snorted from her spot huddled by a tree. "Mesmers make it a rule to stay out of the little tiffs between Grenth and Dwayna. Nothing good ever happens between those two."

"And yet here you are with Grenth." Xiao murmured.

"Entirely against my will I assure you." She winced as Xiao smashed another snowball into the Paragon's head just as the man was trying to get up. For a moment the Mesmer thought about yelling to the idiot to just stay down and play dead but it seemed that the Paragon actually thought being pummeled with snow was _enjoyable_. Or maybe it was just simply a side effect of being hit in the head one too many times with a snowball. "I think I'll stay here. You go on and have 'fun'."

Xiao actually frowned at her, clearly not liking the idea of leaving her all alone. "Are you sure Maeve?"

Maeve rolled her eyes. "Does it look like I'm going to be gutted by a Charr? Go, have whatever you call 'fun' and let me freeze to death in peace."

"You are not going to freeze to death…"

"Of course I am; you didn't even give me a chance to buy new clothes. These are _summer_ clothes."

"Maeve…" the Monk's tone was the kind she used when struggling to remain patient with her and just about any Mesmer for that matter.

Maeve glared at her before pointing in the general direction of the free-for-all. "Go. Please, before Lucas finds my hiding place. Surely you can grant me that little request." At that bit of information even Xiao had to see reason, it would end badly for the new snowball fighter if the Warrior were to find her. The two of them had seen the almost magical transformation of man into monster at the start of the game; it made Maeve dead set of keeping out of his sights until the game ended.

"Alright, if you're sure…"

"Go!"

And it was then that the Fates (or Grenth) decided that one player needed some persuasion. It came in the form of a high pitched whistle of something falling down at high speeds thanks to gravity, the sound giving Maeve just barely enough time to lunge backwards as a beautifully wrapped present smashed into the snow with a loud thump. Snow splashed up in a rather beautiful display of frozen water before creating a small crater around the present. For a second no one moved, not Maeve, not Xiao, and not even the snow-covered Paragon who was just then stirring from his spot on the snow. They just stared at the pretty box which was faintly smoking, though not even the bright purple bow seemed singed. Maeve put this observation due to the fact that she was in shock, pure and simple.

"Over here! Guys over here!" the Paragon shouted at the top of his lungs before being knocked out by another well aimed snowball from a Monk. This time as he crashed into the snow he'd stay down for a bit longer.

"Maeve, get the present! Now!" Xiao ordered as she kneeled fluidly and expertly rolled another snowball. Horrified, Maeve could only look on as the Monk (the very same Monk who preached that even Charr had souls) poked a hole into the snowball with a finger and then slipped in a pebble from the ground.

"Maeve! Present! Move!"

_Me?_ Came the disjointed thought before her mouth opened and the words slipped out. "What? You honestly can't expect me…"

"This is the perfect way to get into the spirit!" Xiao giggled, (Maeve gapped at her for that alone) before looking around warily. "Hurry up before someone comes."

Moving to her knees the Mesmer glared at Xiao through her mask. "You must be joking! I get into the spirit just fine without smacking people with snow, or spiking said snowballs with stone pieces!" Maeve jerked her head to the still-smoking present. "Go do it yourself since you're so into this. Just leave me alone." With that she began to turn away to find solace in the shadows of the trees.

"If you get it to Grenth I'll buy you a new pair of gloves, and a new mask." Xiao wheedled even as she threw her snowball at a Warrior who had come at the sound of the Paragon's voice. With a surprisingly feminine yelp, the man went down, his impressive helm knocked clean off.

Not even an assassin could have moved faster then Maeve when she dove for the gift. "I'm holding you to that Monk!" she shouted even as she swore at the weight of the box. Almost slipping on a patch of ice she righted herself in time and began trudging up the hill as fast as she could.

"Just go!" Xiao snapped back though it lacked any real edge to it as she was giggling like a girl with her first crush.

It was luck, pure and simple luck that got Maeve over the hill before anyone else came for the present. Huffing, she kept to the edges of the battlefield as much as possible, slinking in the shadows of trees, hills, and the odd giant candy cane. She supposed that Dwayna and Grenth had grown some form of humor during their yearly spat over seasonal control. Or at least Dwayna had made them enough times that Grenth no longer cared over something so trivial.

When she saw the giant green monolith of Grenth on the horizon she tried to quicken her steps as much as possible, still keeping to the safety of the trees and candy canes just in case someone tried looking for her. At the last tree she looked around suspiciously for anyone but there was no one, not even other members of her own team, so tossing it to someone else was out. The shadowy avatar of Grenth at the foot of the monolith noticed her and beckoned her quickly with its spindly fingers. Even the Grenchs seemed excited, leaping about but holding the hands over their mouths to keep quiet.

_I'm coming. I'm coming. _Maeve inwardly grumbled but as she made a slow and steady 'bolt' for the group she couldn't help but smile a little. Nobody was here to lob a snowball at her and she could just hand over the stupid box and then find the nearest tree to hide behind for the rest of the game. And no one could say she hadn't helped out even if Grenth lost the game.

It was then that she noticed that the Grenchs and even the gloomy avatar were looking on in growing horror, their excitement gone. The Grenchs were jabbering in their stupid little squeals and grunts, gesturing wildly at something just beyond her line of vision and even the gloomy avatar in its shadowy cloak was waving wildly at her to hurry.

"Going somewhere Priss?"

_Oh no. Oh no. Oh please no. Oh if anyone has any sense of decency then please just make him go away._

"Seems like I found me a Mesmer, and all alone with no one to help her. Your hands look a bit full there Priss, why don't I just take that present from you?"

She didn't even stop walking, instead gritting her teeth and picking up her pace, her muscles screaming at her to stop. Every single spec of her Mesmer pride was in control though, shouting over the muscles _'don't you even think about stopping!'_

"Go kiss a Charr." Maeve snapped, or rather gasped. The Grenchs were now all but leaping out of their skins in agitation. _I'm not a bloody Warrior! What in the name of Lyssa's Spell is in this evil box? Oh yes, squeal at me to hurry up you overgrown piece of mold; you try holding this infernal thing!_

"That's not very nice Maeve. Especially since no one's here to help you if I just decided to take that little present of yours."

"Torment someone else Lucas." _Please you overgrown gargoyle, go torment someone else!_

She heard the crunching of snow as someone knelt suddenly. Ducking on a whim she thanked whatever luck she had left as the snowball glanced by her ear and smashed itself into the ground. Lucas didn't seem too concerned though as he began whistling some stupid tune, following her slowly as she scrambled up the incline.

"Give it up Mesmer. We're already ahead by three." Lucas cheerfully pointed out.

"Then you won't mind if one measly present goes to Grenth." Maeve snarled. She ducked again but he caught her in the shoulder with a snowball and she stumbled, nearly dropping the gift as she did so. _Gloves! Mask! _

"I thought you didn't go for this kind of thing Maeve? Something about 'wanting to stay warm and ignoring the idiocy of Wintersday', were you words."

Shivering from the snow that had started to melt through her outer coat, Maeve didn't bother answering, focusing instead on the Grenchs as they hopped from one foot to another. She was almost there, barely ten feet away, if the present hadn't been so heavy she would have flung it at the stupid beasts. She sneered at the avatar, daring the specter to glower at her for detesting this stupid battle between the gods.

A snowball to the small of her back sent her sprawling and the present tumbled out of her hands. As it landed on the ground Maeve saw her new mask and gloves flying out of her reach and into someone else's, someone who didn't need them, someone who _liked_ throwing snowballs.

"Give it up Maeve and go find a tree to hide behind." Lucas suggested as he came by her feet, lunging for the present with an irritating grace nearly all Warriors had in dealing with feats of strength. Out of desperation Maeve grabbed a fistful of snow and went for the first thing of Lucas she saw, his boots. Lurching across the ground she grabbed the tops of his right boot and stuffed as much of the snow as possible.

"Gaahh! You little twit! Cold! Cold, cold!"

Maeve didn't stop to laugh as Lucas wheeled around; hopping from one foot to another but instead picked up the present and heaved it up the rest of the way. A Grench cackled at her, smirking at her in admiration as she shoved the present in its green hands. Mangled fangs poked out of the thing's lips even as the present vanished, gone to where ever Grenth kept them. She flashed the Grench one of her own smirks, feeling cold and wet but giddy at the thought of not only beating Lucas at his own game and at his own level but also out of imagining her new mask and gloves. _I want gloves with yak fur lining and a mask that would make even Lyssa jealous. Oh why the hell not…I want gloves with runes and dyed black to make my hands slim. That'll teach Xiao to let Mesmers be when they're by a bonfire instead of dragging them for 'Wintersday Fun'._ Such thoughts caused her smirk to widen to the point that she even threw a wink at the snickering Grench, if only to keep up her reputation as a wily Mesmer. Presentation was everything after all.

Twisting about, she ran hand through her hair to appear unruffled and in control as Lucas all but tried to jump out of his boots. She'd tease him later about having beaten him, now all she wanted to do was find a tree to hide behind. Afterwards she'd find a bonfire, eat some candied fruits, nuts, and warm herself in hot spiced tea until the damn holiday was over.

"Take this you stupid Mesmer!" she whipped her head around just as a flash of snow came into her vision, there was time enough for her to curse Grenth and Dwayna, and then there was only a flash of cold pain and darkness.

* * *

"I swear it was only a snowball." 

"You and I both know you like putting metal ingots in your snowballs Amun."

"So? She's a Mesmer, she should have known better!"

There was a deep growl that sounded more like a Stone Fury then a human. "She's also unconscious because you felt like being an ass. How the hell did you become a Paragon anyway with those kind of stunts? Hitting someone in the face?"

_Snowballs…is it Wintersday already? I need to get out of the city then. Xiao might want to…_

_Damn._

"She's waking up."

"Maeve are you alright?"

_I refuse to even think of an answer to dignify that._

"And hitting her in the back was honorable? Everyone sticks rocks in theirs and you throw whole snowmen at people Lucas!"

Lucas snorted, Maeve just wished everyone would kindly just shut up and leave her in her misery. "She'd already given the present."

"Your point?"

Unfortunately, there was a Monk who couldn't seem to understand her need and kept gently shaking her shoulder. "Maeve? Come on Maeve open your eyes."

"Ugh." Maeve eloquently commented as she did so before scrunching them back tightly against the blinding light. She heard Lucas give a hearty laugh, a sound she was certain could scare children, as well as weaker men.

"Welcome to the land of the living Maeve." He said and she stuck her tongue out in his general direction, a purely childish gesture but one she felt was needed. She had been in a snowball fight for pity's sake so no one could say she was being childish.

"Well at least you're coherent again. And you can feel your face if you can do that." Xiao mused.

"Tell me Wintersday finished while I was knocked out." She begged as she opened her eyes again, forcing them to adjust to the bonfire. Even as she took in the sights of snow, snowmen, and running Grenchs she knew the answer though.

"You have to be the first Mesmer I've seen who doesn't like Wintersday." Xiao commented. "How did you like your first snowball fight?"

"Yes we're all curious about your thoughts of getting smacked in the face with a spiked snowball for the first time." Lucas added with a grin. Had she not felt like a Charr's chew toy she would have shoved a torch down his throat.

"I prefer the actions of being pummeled by a Stone Fury. And where is that Paragon who nailed me? I have several spells I'm sure he's never felt." She tried to move to get up but Xiao (and her protesting head) kept her from doing so.

"Revenge later. Amun ran the moment you groaned, I doubt you'll be able to catch up with him before he runs out of the city." Xiao said.

"Coward." She mumbled before bringing a hand and feeling her face, making sure everything was whole and in place despite the pain stating otherwise. "Please tell me there's some spiced tea somewhere." She looked hopefully at Xiao.

"What no eggnog? What's wrong with your sense of holiday spirit?" Lucas brightly asked before moving to the fire and pulling a long handled pot from the edges. Opening the lid he inspected whatever was inside before grunting in approval. "It's ready."

"It left the moment I realized I was being forced to use snowballs instead of spells." Maeve snapped before eyeing the pot. Inhaling she couldn't help the slight rumble in her stomach; beef stew. Blushing, she tried to ignore the grin Lucas shot her, evidently he had heard.

"I'm sure some of the merchants have some spiced tea Maeve. We could ask them after eating." Xiao suggested.

For a moment there was only silence amongst the group as Lucas carefully poured the stew into three bowls Xiao had handed him. The silence grew even as they began to eat and it wasn't until they were halfway done when Maeve looked up from her bowl and pinned Xiao down with a look.

"I'm not letting you get away. Be up and ready at dawn tomorrow with all of your money; we're going shopping." The Mesmer could only grin wickedly then as Xiao's face turned frighteningly pale at the prospect. Lucas gave another one of his great rumbling laughs and Maeve inwardly allowed herself to admit that even with a snowball in the face, this Wintersday might not be _too_ awful.

* * *

A/N: Okay. While this isn't exactly what happened, I thought that at least this way would be a bit funnier. Only Maeve would get hit with a spiked snowball full in the face. The reality is that I didn't understand this stupid game (and yes, I thought it was stupid) and one click led to another before I was stuck in a snowball fight and as I was trying to stay out of the light, a present fell about a foot away from my head. I felt honor bound to pick it up (the truth was I wanted to see if I could keep it) and began running. Unfortunately I ran in the wrong direction and I passed the present onto the Dwayna side…literally handing it to them on a silver platter. Then this ellie comes up, bows at my donation before proceeding to hit me in the face with a snowball that knocks me out. 

I proved to be a poor sport the rest of the time (all ten seconds of it) and hid out in a corner, mourning the loss of my real spells.


End file.
